French Quarter

The story

Away from Royal, the Quarter's shopping is on Decatur, N. Peters and Chartres streets between Canal Street and Esplanade Avenue, with more on Toulouse, St. Ann and Dumaine. The French Market runs about six blocks, from Café du Monde at 800 Decatur downriver to the flea market by the Old U.S. Mint at Esplanade Avenue.

It suits visitors after souvenirs, books and New Orleans-made goods. Chartres and the side streets hold most of the bookshops and specialty stores, and Decatur and N. Peters hold the market and the gift shops.

What to Expect

The French Market dates to 1791 and has a flea market of local art, jewelry and clothing, plus the Colonnade shops and food and produce stalls. Inside it, the Dutch Alley Artists Co-op has been run and staffed by local artists since 2003, with paintings, pottery, glass, jewelry and woodwork. The Shops at Jax Brewery, in a converted 19th-century brewery across from Jackson Square, sell New Orleans-themed gifts and clothing. Jesters is a long-running souvenir shop, and Sidney's Wine Cellar (917) stocks cold beer, wine and harder-to-find spirits. On lower Decatur, Disco Warehouse (1211) sells work by more than 60 local artists, Minnow Jewelry Bar (1214) welds on permanent chains, and Joseph Walton Photography (1309) has framed prints plus magnets and postcards.

Books are the Quarter's other draw. Crescent City Books has first editions, used titles and vintage New Orleans maps and prints. Beckham's Bookshop, opened in 1967, is the Quarter's oldest bookstore, Arcadian Books & Prints is stacked floor to ceiling behind St. Louis Cathedral, and Faulkner House Books is in the house where William Faulkner lived. Dirty Coast sells local slogan T-shirts, Voodoo Authentica has dolls, oils, gris-gris bags and working altars, and Gimme sells jewelry, belts and glittery pieces for finishing a costume.

Best Time to Visit

Most shops open around 10am and close around 6pm daily, and the French Market flea market keeps market hours. Of the shops that post hours, Dirty Coast is open daily 10am–6pm, Faulkner House Books daily 10am–5pm and Voodoo Authentica daily 11am–7pm. Most others, including the used bookshops, don't post hours, so call ahead if one is the reason for your trip.

On a hot or rainy day, the Shops at Jax Brewery is the indoor fallback. Construction is under way on parts of Decatur Street (noted July 2026); shops and restaurants stay open, so expect detours rather than closures. At Halloween, Voodoo Authentica's annual Voodoo Fest typically has free music and activities.

If You Only Have an Hour

Start at Dirty Coast and walk to Faulkner House Books on Pirate's Alley. Cut over to Voodoo Authentica on Dumaine, then down to Decatur for Jesters (937) and the French Market, ending at the Dutch Alley Artists Co-op.

Where to Eat

Jewel of the South at 1026 St. Louis St is MICHELIN Recommended, a cocktail bar and restaurant in a historic cottage with a courtyard. For lunch, Li'l Dizzy's Cafe at 1500 Esplanade Ave is a family-run, lunch-only spot for fried chicken, gumbo and bread pudding.